I remember the days when I didn't think double cleansing was necessary. I always wondered why the girls on YouTube would use something to remove all of their makeup prior to washing their faces. I thought, what's the point if you're just going to wash your face anyway? Can't I just remove my eye makeup, then wash my face, and I'll be good to go? The answer is no... I was not good to go!
If you are like I used to be in this area, let me shed some light on the importance of the double cleanse. If you use an eye makeup remover but then don't use a makeup remover on your face for your foundation, powder, etc prior to washing your face, you are not getting your skin clean! All your cleanser is doing is taking off some (probably not all) of your face makeup. Not only are you not cleaning your face, but most likely, remnants of your face makeup will be left behind to clog your pores and potentially cause acne. It's like taking a shower with your clothes on. When you double cleanse... i.e. use something to remove all of your makeup prior to washing your face, you will not only remove all of your makeup, but your cleanser will then be able to go in and actually do what it's supposed to do--clean your skin. There are products out there claiming to be a one step makeup remover and cleanser, but I don't believe any one product out there can successfully remove your makeup and clean your skin in one step. If you don't want to buy a separate product to remove your makeup, then at the very least, wash your face with your cleanser twice. It might seem tedious and unnecessary, but I promise you that it is worth it... and 100% necessary.
For years now, cleanse-off oils have been my favorite method of removing my makeup. My all-time favorite is this one by Clinique. You massage it into dry skin, and it dissolves your makeup. Add water and it emulsifies and rinses clean, then follow with cleanser. So easy. Makeup wipes are another quick and easy option, but I try to only use those when I travel.
Enter, Makeup Eraser
The Makeup Eraser has been around for several years now. I had been tempted to buy it multiple times but never did until a couple months ago. It retails for $20. The Makeup Eraser is a very soft cloth that you run under warm water before using it on your face to remove all your makeup. What convinced me to buy it was this awesome pack I saw at Costco for $20 but was on sale for $15. For less than the price of one, you get two makeup removing cloths and a headband! Side note--I love the headband and use it every day when I wash my face.
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| Found at Costco! Top to bottom: headband, pink makeup remover cloth, black makeup remover cloth |
Back to the actual Makeup Eraser. The instructions say to wash and dry it before first use, and it's safe to use fabric softener (just not bleach). It's also safe to use with dryer sheets. When you're ready to use it, run it under warm water and wring it out slightly. Start with the side without the tag and gently use circular motions to remove your makeup. For removing eye makeup, I use the same method I use with any other makeup removing product--I close my eyes and hold it on top of my eyelids and lashes for about 15-20 seconds with my ring fingers before gently rubbing in circular motions. This allows some of the mascara/stubborn makeup to dissolve a little bit before you start rubbing so you don't put too much tension on your delicate eye area. The instructions then say to flip the cloth to the back side, which has longer fibers, and massage it over your face to gently exfoliate. Amazingly, this cloth works! It really does take everything off. A little more effort may be required when wearing heavy eye makeup, but it does work. I have not tried this with waterproof mascara, but it claims to remove even that. After use, rinse it, wring it out, and hang to dry. It can be used for a week before you throw it in the washing machine.
Tips/Final Thoughts
The Makeup Eraser is pretty easy to use, and I find it to be about as fast as using a cleanse-off oil. It's mess-free and convenient... you only need the cloth and water, and your makeup magically disappears. I also find that I don't need to wet the entire cloth--I can wet about half of it and use that one night, then wet the other half and use it the next night. They wash up well in the washing machine. My pink one left behind a little bit of black from my mascara, but it doesn't bother me because I know it's clean. The black one is nice because any left behind mascara or eyeliner won't show up.
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| After one wash: back side of the cloth washed completely clean |
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| After one wash: front side of the cloth left behind some eye makeup |
The cloths are very soft and feel good on your face. The instructions state that they will perform better with warmer water, and I find this to be accurate. They also work well when they are more saturated, so after running it under warm water, I wring it out only slightly.
I've read some recent negative reviews about the Makeup Eraser. Almost all the negative ones say the cloth tugs on the skin too much. Through trial and error, I've found that tugging can be minimized by keeping it more saturated and wringing it out less, by using hotter water (not scalding, but on the hot side of warm), and by using the method I mentioned for removing eye makeup. It doesn't matter which type of product you use--if you don't hold it over your eyes for at least 15 seconds, your eye makeup won't have time to lift off of your eye, and more tugging to get the makeup off is almost inevitable. You really don't need to use too much pressure to get the makeup off your face with this cloth. If you press too hard, again, tugging is going to inadvertently happen.
If you're interested in trying this out and have a Costco membership, check there before paying full retail. I like having two to switch out, but one would suffice.
Thank you for reading! Let me know if you've tried the Makeup Eraser and what you think--just make sure to follow up with your facial cleanser!
xoxo,
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